About AFS

Mission: AFS-USA, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, empowers people to become globally engaged citizens by delivering meaningful intercultural experiences that provide the knowledge and skills needed to help create a more just and peaceful world.

History: AFS-USA honors the legacy of its founders—volunteer WWI and WWII American Field Service ambulance drivers—who emerged from the wars with a bold mission: to help prevent future conflict through educational and cross-cultural exchanges.

More than 70 years later, the AFS Mission continues to respond to the needs of an increasingly complex world, offering programs abroad in more than 50 countries and hosting international students from more than 80 countries. True to the spirit of our founders, these life-changing intercultural learning programs are made possible by the dedicated work of AFS Volunteers—more than 4,400 in the U.S. and over 50,000 worldwide.